


Jealousy

by MechBull



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26935609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechBull/pseuds/MechBull
Summary: Hehadknown with absolute certainty that Reid wasn’t a good match for her.
Relationships: Chris Hughes (ATWT)/Reid Oliver, Reid Oliver/Luke Snyder
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to LiveJournal on June 18, 2010
> 
> A/N: First, I refuse to take responsibility for this. Ahem. Second, I needed to take a little bit of artistic license with Chris Hughes' history. Roll with it, please!

Katie spared half a glance for her roommate as he walked into the apartment. Then she focused her attention back on the carton of ice cream in her hands.

“Hi,” she mumbled around the bite in her mouth.

“Hi,” Reid replied warily, torn somewhere between concern for his friend and worry that he’d actually have to listen to her talk about whatever was bothering her. “Is that the neapolitan?” he asked, hoping to deflect the conversation before it began.

“Mm,” Katie responded. “Goes well with the Thin Mints.”

And Reid decided he could deal with whatever the issue was if it meant he got some unexpected Girl Scout Cookies. “Thin Mints? We have Thin Mints?” he asked as he walked past Katie into the kitchen.

“No, _I_ have Thin Mints. They were hiding in the back of the freezer, but now they are sufficiently thawed.”

Grabbing a spoon out of the drawer, he walked back to the couch and plopped down next to Katie. “Well, will you at least share your Thin Mints with me?”

Katie heaved a sigh in acquiescence, and Reid leaned forward to grab some of the cookies. On his way back, he snuck his spoon into the container and took some ice cream as well. Then he exhaled in preparation, lifting his legs so he could rest his feet on the coffee table.

“What’s wrong?”

“Is it that obvious?”

Reid just gave Katie a look.

Katie groaned. She leaned forward, placing the ice cream on the table. Reid took the opportunity to grab the container.

“It’s just…”

“Jacob?”

“No, no. Jacob’s fine. And healthy for once.”

“Work?”

“No, Reid. It’s…my love life.”

Reid tried not to roll his eyes as he mentally steeled himself for the rest of this conversation. “I didn’t know you had one.”

“Hey!” Katie stared at him, feeling bizarrely insulted. “OK, maybe I haven’t been dating but, you know, that doesn’t mean I won’t ever. When the time is right.”

“In my experience, the time is never right.”

Katie immediately jumped on that. “Speaking of which, what about _your_ love life? I heard Noah punched you the other day.”

“Man, news travels fast.”

“Small-town life. Well?”

“There’s not enough ice cream in the world to get me talking about the Luke Saga. We’re talking about you.”

“Fine,” Katie said with a slight scowl. She took a deep breath. “It’s Chris.”

Reid choked on his bite of ice cream. “ _Doogie Hughes?_ ”

Katie burst into peals of laughter, patting Reid’s back as he coughed. “’Fraid so.” As Reid calmed down, she folded her arms again, leaning against the back of the couch. “He keeps telling me he has feelings for me. Wants me to go out with him.”

“What do you want?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m ready for that. I haven’t even thought about being with anyone since Brad – and there’s Jacob to think about too.”

“Plus your long-suffering roommate who doesn’t need to see or hear _anything_ like that.”

“That is, of course, my main concern.”

“Thought so.”

Reid paused, taking another bite of ice cream. “If you’re really not ready – if you need more time to heal, then you shouldn’t start anything,” Reid advised. “You can’t rush these things.”

“And if I’m just scared? Of being hurt again. Or wrecking my friendship with Chris.”

Reid shrugged. “Then you have to decide if it’s worth the risk. For the record, I think it might be.”

Katie scoffed. “I thought you hated the guy’s guts.”

Reid made a disagreeing face. “I’m not a fan, but no, I don’t hate him. Plus, he’s a really fantastic lover.”

Katie laughed. “What?” she joked. “Are you speaking from personal experience?”

“Yep,” Reid said casually.

Katie stared at him for a few more minutes. Reid stared back, expressionless. Katie swallowed.

“I think we need pizza if we’re going to finish this conversation.”

“And booze.”

“Definitely.”

**

_Reid very subtly glanced at his watch. Only two minutes had passed since the last time he peeked a glance. He stifled a groan. Reid certainly wasn’t going to turn down this award. He had worked hard for it, and it was very prestigious. That doesn’t mean he wanted to sit through the ceremony. And especially not the parts honoring the “runners-up.” Also known as the losers._

_The Stanford group was on stage now, smiling fake smiles as they shook hands with the presenter and accepted their “better luck next time” certificates. Reid scanned his eyes over the group. As expected, most of them took science nerd to new levels. And coming from him, that was saying something. One, however, deserved a second look. Brown hair, a dimpled smile, the type of body that made Reid actually wonder what was underneath the suit and tie._

_Reid jumped at the feel of a finger tracing the outside seam of his pants. He turned quickly to glare at the very irritating Channing, one of the other student researchers in his own lab. Reid had made the mistake of letting the guy blow him a few times in the supply closet. He gave good head, and Reid wouldn’t have minded continuing the arrangement, but Channing was clingy and convinced they were now “going steady” or something._

_“You could at least pretend to pay attention,” he murmured quietly._

_“Then stop distracting me,” Reid replied._

_Reid faced forward again just as the M.C. began describing Reid’s groundbreaking research. That wasn’t ego talking; that was fact. And it was even more impressive that he did it while still in medical school. Obviously he deserved this award. His name was called, and Reid stood, walking across the stage to the podium. And as he was walking back to his seat, he glanced over at the Stanford contingent. He made eye contact with the man he had noticed earlier, and a smile flitted over his lips. He could feel the other man’s eyes follow him._

_The rest of the evening worked out exactly as Reid would have planned, if he were the type to plan out these things. As soon as he arrived at the reception, he was aware of the Stanford student checking him out every few minutes. Within a half hour, Reid managed to shake Channing (by sending him off for a drink in the very long line for the cash bar), and mere moments later, Reid heard a soft clearing of a throat._

_“Congratulations,” came a voice behind him._

_Reid turned, smirk already on his face. He looked down at the outstretched hand before simply ignoring it. “Thank you.”_

_“I’m Chris Hughes.”_

_“I don’t really care what your name is,” Reid said honestly._

_“You’re kind of an ass, you know that?”_

_“Something tells me you don’t mind asses that much.”_

_The next thing Reid knew, they were halfway down the corridor of the reception hall. Chris turned a sharp corner, leading Reid to an out-of-the-way bathroom. Reid smirked again. When he had arrived, he had made a point of finding the most convenient, yet semi-private venue possible. Apparently, he hadn’t been the only one._

_They arrived at the bathroom, and Chris wrapped a hand around Reid’s bicep, propelling him through the door. For good measure, he led Reid straight through to one of the stalls, slamming the door shut and covering Reid’s mouth with his own as he blindly turned the lock._

**

Katie was in Java the next morning, still trying to wrap her mind around the story Reid had told her the night before. It wasn’t a total surprise to her; she knew that Chris had the occasional bisexual leanings, although he had rarely acted on them in the last several years. And he _had_ known with absolute certainty that Reid wasn’t a good match for her, back when Henry had been flipping out over the idea. And perhaps it would even explain some of the animosity between them.

So, no. It wasn’t a _complete_ surprise, but it was surprising nonetheless. Unexpected. And, OK, very pleasant to think about, actually. She wasn’t going to deny that both were good-looking men, and she certainly embellished some of the details after she had gone to bed. She was going to blame that on the booze, though.

“Hi Katie!” the cheerful voice snatched her out of her thoughts. Katie looked up.

“Oh! Luke! Hi.”

“What’s with you?” Luke asked, smiling as he pointed at the empty seat across from her. Katie nodded welcomingly and Luke sat down.

“What do you mean?”

“You just seem…distracted.”

Katie took a deep breath, pausing. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this.”

Luke laughed. “OK, you can’t say that and then _not_ finish whatever you were going to say.”

Katie sighed, pausing for a second, wondering what (if anything) was actually happening between Luke and Reid and if this would somehow hurt Reid’s attempts at a relationship. On the other hand, Katie thought, her matchmaking wheels turning quickly, it could be just the impetus Luke needed. She leaned forward conspiratorially.

“You can’t tell him I told you.”

“Tell who?”

“Reid!”

Luke raised an eyebrow. However, Katie noticed that his impish curiosity didn’t last long. As she shared the minimal details that Reid told her, Luke’s face slowly fell, eventually becoming closed off. Luke rarely was able to conceal his feelings entirely, but when he wanted to, he could be almost as blank-faced as the next person (unless, of course, the next person was Reid).

“Are you OK?”

“Yeah,” Luke said quickly, waving a hand in dismissal. “Of course. It’s just…who would have guessed? Puts their snipping in a whole new light.”

“I’ll say.”

And speak of the devil, Chris Hughes walked into Java. The barista called out, asking if he wanted his usual. Chris nodded even as he stepped over to their table. He looked around for an extra chair, and Luke stood up abruptly, jostling the table.

“Here, sit here. I have to go anyway,” he said sharply. Nearly running away, he reached the door to the building quickly and slammed it open, disappearing from sight.

Chris turned to Katie, eyebrows raised in surprise. “What was that all about?”

Katie smirked into her coffee mug. “Jealousy.”

Chris shook his head once, briefly. “Huh?”

“You’ve never told me how exactly you knew that Reid was gay,” Katie said leadingly.

Chris looked up, startled. And then a few beats later, he groaned, reaching a hand up to cover his eyes. “Oh God. He told you?”

Katie laughed.

“Can you just _please_ forget you ever heard anything?”

“Not until you tell me your side of the story.”

Chris heaved a sigh. “It was at the Shannon Fellowship ceremony, OK? I went to introduce myself, we…disappeared for a few minutes, and then we never saw each other again. Until now.”

“So that’s why you made such a big deal about his winning that award?”

“No! He cheated. I heard it from someone who would know.”

“Oh, really?” Katie asked incredulously. “Who?”

“This guy named Channing. He worked in the lab with Reid.”

Katie burst into laughter. “When did he tell you this?” she asked, once she could form words.

“At the reception.”

Katie nodded. “Was this before or after you two…disappeared?”

“Uh. After, I think.”

Katie threw a sugar packet at Chris. “Once again, it’s called jealousy, you idiot.”

Chris furrowed his brow, only to realize what she was saying a moment later. At that moment, the barista called out that his coffee was finally ready. Chris escaped the table briefly, and when he returned, his mood was rather cautious.

“So, is this going to affect whatever is going on – with us?”

“There is nothing going on with us.”

“Katie, come on. You know that isn’t true.”

Katie sighed, running a hand through her hair. “No, it doesn’t change things. Just don’t think you’re getting a threesome out of it or something.”

Chris, unfortunately, had been taking a sip of his coffee when she said that.

**

Luke opened Reid’s office door without even knocking. Reid stared at him in surprise, an open file folder in his lap and a Dictaphone whirring in his hand. He finally hit stop and the record button popped up.

“ _Come in._ ”

Luke waved away an apology. He opened and closed his mouth, suddenly losing his ability to speak. Finally, he just blurted, “You slept with Chris?!”

Reid stared at him for a beat, then sighed as he turned away and muttered _Katie_. Reid closed the folder and stood, tossing it on his desk. He stepped around Luke to close the office door fully.

“Not recently, no,” he finally said. “And there was no actual sleeping.”

Luke clutched at his hair, before gesturing wildly, eyes flashing. “This isn’t a joke.”

“It kind of is. I don’t know why you’re getting so upset over this.”

“Because – because – because…”

Reid raised an eyebrow at Luke. Luke finally deflated, exhaling heavily. “You could have told me.”

“You’re not my boyfriend,” Reid said with an incredulous laugh. “And you’re not my doctor. So there’s no reason for me to have shared my sexual history with you.”

“You know my past,” Luke argued, ignoring Reid’s scoff. “And it’s _Chris Hughes_. It’s someone I _know_. It’s someone you see on a daily basis. It’s – ”

Reid’s mouth dropped open as the pieces fell into place. “You’re jealous.”

“What? No!”

“Yes, you are!” Reid said, stalking closer and closer to Luke. “What do you think? That I’m pining over the good doctor, hoping to reenact barely fifteen minutes of bathroom sex?”

“Bathro – no, it’s not that. Well, I mean…you are kind of mean to him.”

“I’m mean to everyone.”

“No, I know. But a different kind of mean.”

Reid finally stood just inches in front of Luke, who stopped talking abruptly. Looking down at Luke’s lips, Reid smiled. “It was years ago,” he said softly. “It meant nothing. I barely remember it. I wouldn’t have remembered it at all if he hadn’t reminded me that we knew each other.”

“It’s just – ” Luke licked his lips and put his hand in the hook of Reid's elbow. His eyes were half-lidded as he swayed closer to Reid. Reid absolutely loved how Luke always responded to him – in that pure instinct, couldn't resist him if he _tried_ way. “There are so many things I don’t know about you. So many guys who have come before me. How can I – ?”

“Not that many,” Reid murmured. “And trust me, you can. You do.”

And then Reid caught Luke’s mouth in a searing kiss. Luke immediately groaned, bringing his arms around Reid’s neck and opening his mouth wider even as his head tilted back under the force of Reid’s kiss. Their lips moved against each other slowly, passion and heat building. Reid dragged a hand down Luke’s side, and Luke felt tingles of pleasure shoot through his whole body. Reid’s hand ended up on Luke’s thigh, just slightly below his hip. He squeezed gently and then moved quickly, hoisting Luke up until he was seated on the desk, crushing files and reports beneath him. Reid hesitated at the sound, but when Luke moaned and pulled Reid closer, when he sucked Reid’s tongue deeper into the warm wetness of his mouth as he lifted his legs and hooked them at the ankles around Reid’s ass…well, Reid decided he didn’t really care.

The End


End file.
